Survival of the Nation: My luck was a tiny bit worse.

Ivan slammed his fist on the table, his eyes wide with rage: "If these guys dare to lay a finger on my head, I'll smash their brains out with a single blow!"

Farhan didn't speak, but silently placed his scorpion-armored shield beside him.

Haishan looked down and examined the blade of the electrified dagger.

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, discussing the matter for quite some time.

Leng leaned against the wooden pillar of the watchtower, toying with the Shadow Blade in his hand; the blade gleamed with a dark luster in the firelight.

"Alright, what we need to consider now is how to deal with it, not how to be afraid."

"Brother Chen, continue to strengthen the defensive fortifications. Rearrange those automatic trigger traps according to the circular, intersecting arrangement we designed before."

At least two concealed observation points should be set up around each trap.

"it is good."

"Alexander, the three of you will be in charge of night patrols, rotating every two hours."

The Hyena Queen sent Green Bean to inform them, and also to instruct them to increase the frequency of patrols in the surrounding area.

"clear."

"Hassan, you guys, starting tomorrow, set up warning lines on all three main mountain roads around the camp."

Don't use ordinary vines, use wire with bells—the kind that rings when you touch it. Brother Chen will prepare that for you.

"receive."

Finally, Captain Leng stood up and tucked the two short swords back into his waistband.

As for herself—

She glanced northwest and squinted.

"I'll go check out that old camp."

"Are you going alone? Should we send a few people with you?"

"What, you still don't believe me?"

Chen Hao said, "Oh, that's not why. I mean you might not have enough fun playing alone."

"That's true."

Leng Ruolan actually thought about it for a moment, "Forget it, it's easier to get things done with fewer people."

"……Ha ha."

*

The perfectly round setting sun gradually sank below the horizon.

The campfire in the camp was burning brightly. The group of people, each with their own thoughts, ate and drank as they pleased, waiting for Ou Yun to return.

Said that Cao Cao Cao Cao arrived.

Just as darkness was falling, Ou Yun's voice came from the mountain path.

"Someone come and help!"

Chen Hao immediately poked his head out from the watchtower.

I saw a blond, muscular man with a trekking pole, limping behind Ou Yun.

"Big brother! What is this?!"

"Found on the street, a contestant from the United States."

While introducing the person, Ou Yun said, "This person wearing glasses is Chen Hao, our village accountant, and that person eating pancakes is Leng Ruolan, our security captain."

Mike looked up at the expressionless woman on the watchtower, then at the dagger in her hand that was still dripping with wild boar blood.

"..."

I'm so nervous, but I have to stay calm.jpg

He swallowed hard.

Suddenly I'm starting to doubt whether their plan is reliable or not... It feels like we're throwing ourselves into the lion's den!

It's not like letting a wolf into the house, but rather like letting a lamb into the tiger's den!

"Nice to meet you..."

Mike involuntarily blurted out a phrase in dialect.

Leng Ruolan didn't speak, but tilted her head and sized him up for a few seconds before turning to Ou Yun: "Are you sure he was found, or not tied up?"

"I really found it." Ou Yun looked completely innocent.

"Where are his teammates?"

"They said they were scouting near the mountains to the north when they got separated."

Leng Ruolan and Chen Hao both fell silent.

The mountains to the north.

This is the mountain.

In other words, Mike's teammate is currently roaming around on their turf?

Mike seemed to sense the subtle change in the atmosphere and quickly waved his hand to explain, "They just wanted to find a safe place. We didn't know there were already people in this area."

"Now you know."

Leng Ruolan said calmly, then gave Chen Hao a wink.

Chen Hao immediately understood, adjusted his glasses, and gave a professional smile: "Come, come, Mr. Mike, let me treat your wound. Our camp has homemade disinfectant and bandages, much better than what you use in the wild."

Mike watched as the bespectacled man with the same smile as in the European Games walked towards him, and for some reason, a chill suddenly ran down his spine.

"Um, is this the infirmary...?"

"Infirmary? No, no, no, we don't have any infirmary."

Chen Hao chuckled twice, "This is a special reception area we've prepared especially for our guests. Come on in, we guarantee you'll feel right at home."

Mike instinctively tried to back away, but Chen Hao's hand was already on his shoulder. The force wasn't strong, but strangely, it was impossible for him to break free.

Ou Yun was struggling to suppress her laughter.

He thought to himself, "Brother Chen usually looks so polite, but when he really wants to play tricks, he's more cunning than anyone else!"

Mike was half-pushed and half-dragged by Chen Hao into a stone house.

Leng Ruolan stood by the campfire, watching the two figures disappear into the distance: "What do you plan to do with him?"

"Let's take a look first."

Ou Yun took the roast meat from Alexander and took a big bite. "He said his teammates got separated, but I don't really believe it."

"I don't believe it either."

Leng Ruolan also picked up a piece of grilled meat. "But what I'm more curious about is, what did you talk about with him on the way here?"

"We talked quite a bit."

As Ou Yun chewed on his meat, he mumbled, "One of his former teammates was carried away by a mutated bear, and another fell into a canyon. The remaining three have been wandering around the forbidden area without a fixed camp."

Do you believe it?

"I didn't believe a single word. But he let something slip."

"What did you say?"

"He said they encountered a player from a small country, and that player told them before he died that there was a safe zone to the north."

Ou Yun swallowed the meat, took a sip of juice, and said, "The question is, when did that athlete from the small country encounter them? If it was a long time ago, before our camp was even built. If it was more recently—"

Ou Yun smiled.

"If that player from a small country is really dying, why not ask them for help? A three-person team with medicine shouldn't have much trouble saving a seriously injured lone player, right?"

Leng Ruolan raised her eyebrows slightly.

"So you think..."

"I think that athlete from a small country probably didn't die on his own."

Leng Ruolan was silent for a few seconds, then picked up her juice glass and clinked it against Ou Yun's.

"Then let's play with them."

*

Inside Chen Hao's small stone house.

Mike sat on a simple but sturdy wooden bed, the wound on his right leg having been cleaned and bandaged again.

The wound healed faster than expected.

This bespectacled man may be talkative, but his skills are indeed quite good.

Mike moved his ankle, and the pain had lessened considerably.

He looked around. The stone house was small, with several hand-drawn plant illustrations and topographical sketches hanging on the walls.

—They even have decorations!

One can imagine the quality of life of the people in China.

The table was covered with all sorts of bottles and jars—broken glass bottles filled with liquids of different colors, with labels written in Chinese that Mike couldn't understand.